NSBA Urges the Senate to Save Education Jobs

More teacher and staff layoffs will impede student achievement and cut vital programs

Alexandria, Va. (October 20, 2011) – The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is urging the U.S. Senate to support the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act (S. 1723). The legislation will provide much needed resources to America’s students and communities by preventing additional teacher and staff layoffs that would otherwise impede student achievement and cut vital programs.

“The Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act will be mutually beneficial to our students, school districts, communities, and the national economy because of the continuity it will provide in helping school districts throughout the nation save jobs that directly benefit school performance,” said Michael A. Resnick, NSBA’s Associate Executive Director for Federal Advocacy and Public Policy in a letter sent to the Senate. “S. 1723 will enable our nation’s school districts to maintain high-quality education services for students without sacrificing effective programs that are raising student achievement. Practical teacher-student ratios and class-size reduction initiatives will be sustained, targeted intervention programs for dropout prevention and tutoring will continue, and extracurricular programs that help provide a well-rounded education can be maintained, for example.”

Resnick continued, “Without targeted resources for sustaining education in our communities, American competitiveness will be impacted and unemployment rates will not be reduced for the long-term. The effect of intervening now to save jobs in our nation’s school districts will help our students become globally competitive for the future. The jobs sustained for teachers, counselors, math and reading coaches, after school programs staff, bus drivers, and other school-based personnel will help alleviate unemployment and benefit other sectors of the economy.”  

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Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) is a not-for-profit organization representing state associations of school boards and their more than 90,000 local school board members throughout the U.S. Working with and through our state associations, NSBA advocates for equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership. www.nsba.org

Contact:
Linda Embrey, Communications Office
National School Boards Association
(703) 838-6737; lembrey@nsba.org